52 of Metropolitan Phoenix’s Best Photographers and Writers Collaborate on Unique Project Featuring Downtown Phoenix
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Melissa Wenzel (602) 579-5204
mel_wenzel@yahoo.com
MEDIA ALERT
52 of Metropolitan Phoenix’s Best Photographers and Writers Collaborate on Unique Project Featuring Downtown Phoenix
PHOENIX, AZ (February 10, 2010) – Fifty-two of metropolitan Phoenix’s most talented writers and photographers are collaborating on a unique project to promote downtown Phoenix. The endeavor, 26 Blocks, is an art project – an intriguing union of ideas, civic perspectives and artists – featuring 26 blocks of the downtown Phoenix area; each block photographed and written about in a way that captures the most intriguing aspects of the culture and/or history of each block.
Members of the media are invited to join the 26 professional photographer/writer teams as they explore their assigned block during the month of March. Photographers will submit one image that may contain up to four pictures. Writers will submit up to 500 words. Artists may write or photograph in any genre or style. The finished work will be displayed in After Hours Gallery in May. The event is being co-sponsored by Artisan Colour.
WHO: 52 of metropolitan Phoenix’s most talented photographers and writers collaborate as 26 teams, creating artwork to capture their perspectives of 26 different city blocks in downtown Phoenix. Sculptor/painter, Rafael Navarro, will also be carving 4×4 wood blocks that capture his perspective of all 26 city blocks.
Some of the photographers include Rodney Rascona (Chief Photographer, Food for the Hungry); Rick Rusing (International photographer who’s won numerous awards in Communication Arts, Graphis, New York Art Directors Club, and Print magazine); Brandon Sullivan (Commercial and Editorial) and Michael Lundgren (Landscape Art).
Some of the writers include Ashlea Deahl (Editor, Phoenix Magazine), David Tyda (eaterAZ.com blog); Paul Atkinson (KJZZ Producer, Reporter, Announcer), Michael A. Stackpole (Sci-fi & fantasy author, best known for Star Wars and Battletech books), Betty Webb (murder-mystery author) and John Lindauer (Emmy-award winning director of Peewee’s Playhouse and accomplished screenwriter).
View the complete list of writers and photographers.
WHAT: 26 Blocks: “Building up the city; one block at a time.” Sharing a common goal of promoting downtown Phoenix, 26 Phoenix-based photographers, 26 Phoenix-based writers and one sculptor/painter will team up to create artwork that reflects their perspectives of our city’s most unique aspects. An amateur contest is included in the project. One amateur photograph and one amateur writing submission will be selected by the 26 Blocks professional artists and their work will appear alongside the 26 Blocks artwork which will be displayed at After Hours Gallery in May.
VISUALS:
- Local talent collaborating on finding the most interesting aspects of a particular city block in downtown Phoenix.
- Unveiling of the artwork at After Hours Gallery in May.
WHEN: Shooting and writing – March 1 – 31st
Sculpting/painting – Feb 1 – April 1
Invitation-only reception (open to the media) – May 6th
Debut during First Fridays – May 7th
WHERE: Shooting, writing, sculpting/painting – downtown Phoenix.
After Hours Gallery
116 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix
CONTACT: For anyone interested in sponsoring the project, please contact Joey Robert Parks (480) 236-5517 or joey@joeyrobertparks.com. Members of the media looking to set up interviews may contact Melissa Wenzel (602) 579-5204 or mel_wenzel@yahoo.com.